Location of Vin Number

[twd1]

Hi

Looking for some help please.

Recently had the good fortune to acquire an AC ACE Brooklands which I am hoping to register here in Ireland. As part of the process I have to be able to show where the VIN number is stamped on the chassis as they don't accept the plate.

The book seems to say that it is beside the drivers seat which seems unusual as this location is covered in carpet etc.

I was hoping someone might know if this correct or if I might find it stamped in a somewhat more accessible location.

Thanks for reading this and any help much appreciated.

[paho]

Lift the carpet, its stamped into the floor.
Congratulations, hope you enjoy your Ace!
Br /Paho

[paho]

....should add that its in the footwell behind the driver's seat, see pic.
BR /Paho

[twd1]

Hi paho

Thank you very much for your response. For fear of being a pest we already looked there and seems to only be what I assume to be sound deadening material, there is a small rectangle cut in this and we scraped it off but found nothing behind it. Are you sure it is on the floor, if so I will do some more scraping.

And yes I am really enjoying the car thanks.

[paho]

The stamp indentations go right through the metal. So you can see the numbers from underneath the car (mirror imge).
You may have to scrape off a little of the underseal to see, but I would dig a bit deeper from the top. My handbook indicates the VIN is stamped
by the middle of the seat, but it's further back as you can see from the picture I posted.

It would be nice if some other owners shared information information on the VIN position on their cars but I guess they are all busy driving down
country lanes listening to that fantastic roar from the exhausts!
BR /Paho

[Max (Allan)]

My VIN No. is located behind the left hand seat stamped in the footwell floor alongside the sill. Its easily visible – a rectangular section of the sound deadening material is cut out to facilitate viewing. (Would insert pic but have no idea how its done on new site.)

[twd1]

hi paho / max

Only getting back to this today, day job and all that.

Thank you both for all your help however I regret to say I am still none the wiser.

Today I striped back about a quarter of the sound deadening behind the drivers seat and found nothing. (I tried to upload some photos but there to big I'm told)

I then went underneath and scraped a fair bit of the underseal off and again could find nothing.

Thinking maybe my car was originally meant to  be LHD and they changed it during production I scraped away under the floor on the LH side and again to no avail. Now I didn't lift the sound deadening here as I don't want to do any more damage than I have to. Should I ?

I don't know if you have any other suggestions as to where to look. My car is 95 however I don't suppose that makes any difference.

[twd1]

see if this works

[paho]

I note that the position of the VIN on my Ace does not correspond to the illustration in the handbook (on page 2.2), see pic attached.
Its also built 1995, RHD model. Perhaps the VIN stamp is in the position illustrated in the handbook? (position marked "3").
Another option is to ask the previous owner(s)/saleman if he knows where it is. Wish I could help more.
BR /Paho

[twd1]

Thanks again paho, it is a bit of a quandary all right.

Yes I have the book and note the 2.2 drawing. When I started this post I was hoping someone might know if there was an alternative location as people in the trade tell me it is unusual to have a vin no hidden as it is used for ordering parts etc. 

I had considered the area exactly where it is shown in the book but this makes no sense as you would have to remove the seat to remove the carpet etc.

The one thing that confuses me is you said the lettering is visible from underneath, in spite of an extended brushing of the area I could find no trace of any letters. Do you by any chance have a photo of the underside showing the lettering or can you give me a measurement from the side of the car and back wheel.  It would help me pinpoint the area where the number should be.

I don't suppose there is a chance its not stamped at all ? Hardly.

[paho]

Its approximately 17 cm from the outside of the lowest edge of the sill, 22 cm from the rear wheel arch.
The figures are stamped in pretty hard to show on the other side of the floor, so I suspect
if you can't see anything then I'm wondering if the stamp is beside the driver's seat.
or that the floor has been replaced for some reason. The seats are quite easy to remove if you
have the right allen key and the bolts havn't rusted. The seat heating elements can be unplugged
easily too.
BR /Paho

[twd1]

Thanks yet again paho.

Well I think a brief update is due at this stage. I can now defiantly confirm that the VIN number dose NOT appear in that location on either side of my car.

Following your advice I contacted Niall Fisher from Redline who, while being as helpful as he could be, was unable to help either

However the good news, no I still don't know where its located, however thanks to your advice, measurements and photos in this forum I was able to convince a very sceptical lady in the Tax office that this was genuine. She has agreed to process the car however she is looking for a letter from the club to confirm what I said.

Last night Bob kindly advised me that the registrar is John Able and I emailed him last night so I hope he will get back to me now and all will be well.

I can not thank you enough for all your help.

As  a by the way the Tax office is about 20 miles away and I had a glorious drive in the sun there and back, did I say 20 miles, well it is if you don't take the direct route. Cheers   

[paho]

Hi, glad the info and pics were of some help. I've always found Neil very helpful too. Could also be an idea to go through the car's paper work (invoices etc.) if you have any, to see if the car's history can cast some light or give the addresses of previous owners you can ask.

I hope John A. gets back to you asap.

BR /Paho